Dragonfriend: Leonard the Great, Book One [Paperback]

Roger Eschbacher (Author), Iguana Proofreading (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2011 | Series: Leonard the Great

If you think it was all good deeds and fancy ideals back in the days of Camelot, think again. Most people don't know this, but for a time things went seriously bad; Arthur was imprisoned, Merlin had vanished, and a vile demon had taken over the throne.

Young Leonard would have been shocked to learn any of this but right now all that concerned him was where his next meal was coming from. As page to Sir Ronald, a poor but kind knight, events at the castle took a back seat to a rumbling stomach. Oh sure, he held a secret dream that one day Sir Ronald would take a seat at the Round Table, but seriously, that was about as likely as Maid Glennys seeing him as anyone other than the dirty page of a low-ranking nobleman. Not gonna happen.

Everything changes when Leonard meets Mantooth, a seriously depressed dragon who's looking for a knight to end his misery with a swing of a broadsword. Wait a minute. If the dragon will allow Sir Ronald to slay him, his misery would be over, Sir Ronald would surely get a Round Table invite for such a brave deed, and Leonard might even climb a notch or two in the eyes of Glennys! Everybody wins, right?

Wrong. Leonard's plan backfires horribly when, on the day of the battle, Sir Ronald is arrested for "bravery without a license" and he and Mantooth are dragged off to Camelot's dungeons. Now Leonard must do whatever it takes to free his master even if that means doing battle with dangerous monsters, trying to outwit Camelot's dark overlord, or taking a bath!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A wonderfully written side story to the Arthurian legend with never-considered twists, fun details and tremendous heart. Leonard is a marvelous hero-in-the-making and Mantooth is the first dragon in a long time who really deserves a hug." -- Carolyn Hennesy, Author of the Pandora series

"Dragonfriend starts with a chuckle then quickly develops into a brave quest, climaxing in a truly epic battle between knights, dragons and fiends from Hell. Honestly, what more could you want?" -- Keith Robinson, Author of the Island of Fog Series


"... a smart, sassy tale of knights and dragons that rockets the entire clanky genre into the 21st Century for savvy (and perhaps a little jaded) readers. -- Steve Kaye, Author of Valley of Hate by Clay Burnham

About the Author

Roger Eschbacher is a professional television animation writer who's worked for Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network. He's also written two children's picture books, "Road Trip", and "Nonsense! He Yelled," both for Dial Books.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he now lives in California with his family and a crazy dog named Lizzy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453628487
• ISBN-13: 978-1453628485
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,768,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Roger Eschbacher is a professional television animation writer who's worked for Disney, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, The Hub, and Cartoon Network.

In addition to "Dragonfriend," his debut middle-grade fantasy adventure novel, he's also written two children's picture books, "Road Trip," and "Nonsense! He Yelled," both for Dial Books.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he now lives in California with his family and a crazy dog named Lizzy.

To learn more about Roger and his books, please visit www.rogereschbacher.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read June 16, 2012

By ann

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a fun read! Camelot is no longer just about King Arthur his knights and Merlin. There is a new hero in town. Leonard is a bright young boy who who ends up on a quest full of adventure, humor, a little gore and just a touch of romance. He is mature in a lot of respects but there are several instances (funny and sad) that remind us that he is just a kid. From fairies to the creatures from the underworld, the array of mythical beasts is great. I grew attach to Leonard and can't wait for the next book. Though this is a juvenile book that would attract both boys and girls, I highly recommend it for us big kids.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for ALL readers June 4, 2012

By heather sutherlin

Format:Kindle Edition

Marvelous work by the fabulous Roger Eschbacher! This book is fun, funny and quite an adventure! Although he begins with a well-known legend in the form of Camelot, the author takes the reader into a whole new realm of creatures and magic we have not seen before. Even some of the most vicious creatures are creative and endearing in this version of the fabled kingdom.

I know boys and girls alike will find this story fascinating and fun. My daughter might complain that it gets a bit "yucky" during the battle scenes, but not more than would cause any normal fifth grade boy to yell out "cool!" as he reads through it. In turn, the boy in my house might not appreciate the innocent crush Leonard has on Maiden Glennys, but my daughter will eat it up. A marvelous balance that is hard to create as an author and I believe Eschbacher has done it superbly.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant read May 21, 2012

By Katharina Gerlach (Indie Autorin)

Format:Kindle Edition

This is a wonderful story with interesting twists on details of the Arthurian legend. Leonard was adventurous without being too brave. Even when his plans didn't turn out the way he had thought, he got back up and tried something new. The only problem was that the story was aimed at middle grade readers in the beginning but at slightly older readers once Leonard entered the magic forest. The tone of the story changed from a humorous one to a much darker, more serious one. This did not stop me from enjoying the novel but might be of interest to other readers. I'm looking forward to the sequel.